1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to ultraviolet light sterilizers, and more particularly pertains to a sterilizer which is particularly adapted for use with a stethoscope.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of ultraviolet light sterilizers is well known in the prior art. This is evidenced by the granting of a number of patents relating to various functional and structural aspects of such sterilizers. Examples of patented ultraviolet light sterilizers are to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,542 which issued to Sizer et al. on Jul. 5, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,532 which issued to Zabsky et al. on Feb. 9, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,851 which issued to Beasley et al. on Mar. 6, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,933 which issued to Kao et al. on Apr. 16, 1991.
While each of these prior art patents disclose ultraviolet light sterilizers which fulfill their respective particular objectives and requirements, and are most likely quite functional for their intended purposes, it will be noticed that none of them disclose sterilizers which are particularly adapted for use with stethoscopes and which are portable to the extent that they can be carried in the pocket of a user. As such, there apparently still exists the need for ultraviolet light sterilizers which would be designed for use with stethoscopes, and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.